Red Rocks - Seals - Ōwhiro Bay

Long, yet totally worth it walk out here. These seals just chill out while you can take as many photos as you'd like. If you're bringing a camera, (which I highly recommend) definitely bring a telephoto lens to be able to get up close to the seals, since physically getting close would be rather dangerous!

My first experience to Red Rocks a few days ago, was more of a hard slog through hard gravel and deep sand, rather than a nice pleasant coastal walk as we were first lead to believe. It took us a long almost one hour trek from where we parked our car to the Devils Gate. Saw a few seals lying on the rocks on our way there. Of course we encountered the famous red colour rocks there which was a highlight of our long arduous trek. It was becoming quite cold and unpleasant and dark by the time we got back to our car around 5pm. It definitely seemed to be tougher walking back than going there. So my advise is go earlier around midday on a nice pleasant warmish sunny day instead...... as we arrived quite late at 3.00pm. Make sure you wear warmish winter clothing also as it can become quite cold there!!

spur of moment thing Did the walk … OMFG SEALS! Take ya time and enjoy the process !

Driftwood, smooth pebbles, raging sea with a wonderful view of rocks in various jagged formations and having live seals as the local inhabitants during winter in NZ! Red rocks is an amazing walk easy to moderate type around 3 hours in and out track. Terrain varies between easy to medium difficulty most of it being easy. Nearly all of the track can be completed on high / low tides.

Beautiful day for a 4x4 drive and enjoy the beauty of New Zealand and Wellington region.

Great walk and close to town. The walk to the seal colony is worth it - just past devils gate. Weather can get pretty extreme as can the 4wd traffic. Great spot for astrophotography too with no light pollution at night.

In the first decade of the twentieth century, John Brisben Walker had a vision of artists performing on a stage nestled in the perfectly acoustic surroundings of Red Rocks, which likely were used by the Ute tribe in earlier times. Walker produced several concerts between 1906 and 1910 on a temporary platform; and from his dream, the history of Red Rocks as an entertainment venue began.[8] It took the natural amphitheater of Red Rocks over 200 million years to form.[9] The city of Denver acquired Red Rocks amphitheater from Walker for $54,133 (equivalent to $854,273 today), with a total area of 728 acres (1.1 sq mi; 2.9 km2).[10] In addition to the platform, Walker also built the Mount Morrison Cable Incline funicular railway which carried tourists from a base at what is today the parking lot of the amphitheatre up to enjoy the view from the top of Mount Morrison; the incline operated for about five years beginning in 1909.[11] Geologically, the rocks surrounding the amphitheater are representative of the Fountain Formation. Originally the place was known as the "Garden of the Angels" (1870s-1906), and then as "Garden of the Titans" during the Walker years (1906–1928). The park, however, had always been known by the folk name of "Red Rocks," which became its formal name when Denver acquired it in 1928. The amphitheater's rocks are named "Creation Rock" on the north, "Ship Rock" on the south, and "Stage Rock" to the east. Red Rocks Amphitheatre was designed by Denver architect Burnham Hoyt; its walls contain records dating back to the Jurassic period of 160 million years ago as nearby dinosaur tracks have been discovered as well as fossil fragments of a forty-foot (12 m) Plesiosaur. In 1927, George Cranmer, Manager of Denver Parks, convinced the City of Denver to purchase the area of Red Rocks from Walker for $54,133 ($854,273 today). Cranmer convinced Mayor Benjamin Stapleton to build on the foundation laid by Walker. By enlisting the help of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and Works Progress Administration (WPA), labor and materials were provided for the venture. Construction of the amphitheater began in 1936 and was opened to the public in June 1941.[2]

Breathtaking place to go to. Need a car, obviously, but so worth it! There was noone else at the time we arrived -seals excluded- and we came right before sunset. The photos do not so justice to the place. It feels like we are on another planet. Noone else but us and the seals, amazing view, and we were extremely lucky with the weather. Highly recommend if you're in the area ✨